Hey guys,

       I used to post a good amount a few years ago but got busy and the fishing slowed down for me unfortunately. This last fall I got back into it and I've been on the water nearly every weekend this year it seems. I've always been a huge fan of soft plastics, worms, craws, flukes, and the list goes on - so my tackle bag pretty much consisted of soft plastics and a ton of terminal tackle to rig it differently. Years back, I bought a ton of lipless cranks that I never used much, and literally only caught one fish on them after only giving it a good three hours. 

       I just recently forced myself to use them, and I am a believer. In a span of about thirty minutes, once I found the fish, I got on an incredible bite and want to devote even more time to mastering them. I've got the basic color ideas, size, and when/how down, but I haven't seen a ton regarding rattle/silent. When do y'all switch it up between using a rattle or a silent lipless crank? I must admit, when I bought them a couple years ago, I got a few colors, each color in two sizes, and they all have one rattle (red eye shads).

i use silent/quiet lipless during crystal clear waters and at night with good amount of moon light and no wind.

The hardest part of using traps is when to use them and for me it is any time but post spawn is a good time because the fish are scattered and lipless cranks make a great search bait. As far as when to use a silent bait versus a rattling one, the answer is clear water, if you have 3' or more of visibility then a silent bait will be a better option.

As everyone already mentioned, clear water, no wind, high skies is a great time to throw them. Another instance when I love to throw them, although it doesn't happen too often is when I find a school of fish and I catch 4 or 5 out of the school and the bite dies off. I will throw the same bait, same color, just silent.

Gotcha makes since. Clearer the water the more natural the presentation, thanks.

I don't think it matters. I used the original Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap for many years in everything from muddy to crystal clear water with good results. Of course, that was before I knew that I was supposed to be using silent baits in clear water.

1 hour ago, S. Doolittle said:

I don't think it matters. I used the original Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap for many years in everything from muddy to crystal clear water with good results. Of course, that was before I knew that I was supposed to be using silent baits in clear water.

I'm the same. I've never been able to find conditions that make a difference.

I think that goes back to why people think black/blue is better than junebug and vice versa. 

I use a red head white trap 1/2 oz saltwater and fresh its my most productive color. Firetiger,black/blue back and chrome work too

I love lipless crankbaits this time of year. Get a chili craw Red Eye Shad and hang on

Bluegill patteren Rat-l-trap is working good now.

I don't own one that doesn't have rattles, although I do believe there are times when a different sounding rattle will make a difference.  That's why I carry Diamond Shads, Red Eyes, Hot Spots, One Knockers and some others that I don't even know the names of.  After catching a few from a piece of structure or a grass bed, I'll switch out to the same general color with different rattles and pick up a few more.  I did give a floater a try a few years back, but didn't have any confidence in it so I gave it away.

2 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

I don't own one that doesn't have rattles, although I do believe there are times when a different sounding rattle will make a difference.  That's why I carry Diamond Shads, Red Eyes, Hot Spots, One Knockers and some others that I don't even know the names of.  After catching a few from a piece of structure or a grass bed, I'll switch out to the same general color with different rattles and pick up a few more.  I did give a floater a try a few years back, but didn't have any confidence in it so I gave it away.

True, there are days that I can´t catch a cold with, for example a Rat L-Trap, just to change for a Ratlin´ Rap and make a killing, why ? because it sounds different ! so it´s not bad to have a couple of several brands.

I don't think the bass care wether it's clear or not when deciding to eat a lipless crank, since it's more of a reaction lure anyway.  I have slayed them in crystal clear water on the original rattling rattle trap, and I was using it in a way that it wasn't a reaction lure.  Bass don't know that they aren't supposed to eat loud lures in clear water.

I don't put much thought into the silent cranks for clear water scenario. One lake I fish is very clear and up to 30ft deep and they tear up a Spro Aruku Shad in perch and there are no yellow perch in there.

13 hours ago, BassObsessed said:

I don't put much thought into the silent cranks for clear water scenario. One lake I fish is very clear and up to 30ft deep and they tear up a Spro Aruku Shad in perch and there are no yellow perch in there.

Bu, bu, bu, bu, buuuut you´s gotta "match the hatch" !